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How Do I Study Theology?

Whether you are a convinced believer or a considering skeptic, the question remains the same: “How do I learn about God?”

Historically, people pursue theology (the study of God) through seven disciplines:

The God Who Is There

In the Old Testament, the Hebrews had many different names for God—each based on a particular facet of His character or power. One such name was “Jehovah-Shammah,” or, God who is there.

But was God really there? Is He still here today? Imagine interviewing the following Bible characters at the end of their lives, asking them just one simple question: “Was God 'there' in your life?”

Spreading the Infection

“...the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have his way, come to share in the life of Christ... He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has—by what I call ‘good infection.' Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else. ” -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Way Beyond Grace

Do you ever try to pray, but don't know what to say to God? Do you ever feel guilty that you can't think of more things to pray about?

An Alien Gospel

“I was abducted by an alien gospel,” writes Dieter Zander. “…a gospel concerned only with how to deal with sin and death, with wrongdoing and its effects. We've got the past covered — past sins are forgiven. We've got the future covered — heaven when we die. But what about the present? Life, our actual daily existence, is strangely absent from [the modern] version of the good news.”

Life-Changing Truth

Jesus' clear, authoritative, and powerful messages cut to the heart of reality…amazing the crowds and infuriating his adversaries. On one occasion, the Gospel of Luke records an incident where certain teachers of the law asked why Jesus would befriend “sinners” and “tax-collectors.” The reply of Christ pierced the heart of those teachers who had shirked their responsibility to care for such people: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

The World-Changing Shoemaker

William Carey was a typical eighteenth century Englishman: he had a wife, a few children, a small shoemaking business, and what most people would have said was a predictable future.

But William had one thing that few others in his era shared. He had a desire to proclaim the gospel to nations that had never heard of Jesus Christ. Specifically, he felt God wanted him to begin a mission in faraway India.

Mere Churchianity

Many religious people seem content to live in a state of “Churchianity” rather than Christianity.

While Christianity calls people into a living, dynamic relationship with their Creator,  Churchianity marries its adherents to a set of religious customs and traditions.  Christianity is a relationship built on the highest imaginable form of love — Churchianity is an empty life consisting of Sunday religion and spiritual showmanship.

Why Do Christians Believe Jesus Rose Again?

 The resurrection of Jesus Christ is really the cornerstone of Christian theology.  Without that historical event, faith in Jesus is unwarranted.  If His body is rotten in a grave, the Christian faith is a sham.  Over the centuries, Christians have experienced the power of the risen Christ in a personal sense, and they've defended the historicity of the event using powerful logical and historical arguments.

Is God a Safety Hazard?

Safety consumes a lot of our attention; from airbags to bug repellent, alarm systems to insurance policies. And, while there is nothing wrong with using common sense to protect health and life, a focus on safety can create a hazard of its own — a spiritual hazard!

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, stated that, “A safe life is a wasted life!”